Rodeo Rides Into County Fair

By Matt Sollars

Friday, July 27, 2007

The rodeo thundered into the Loudoun County Fair Thursday evening. A capacity crowd that filled the grandstand right up to the horse ring gates watched Justin Shue win the main bull-riding event.

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Loudoun County Fair Rodeo

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Bull rider Mitch Snow struggles to stay atop a bull at the Loudoun County Fair rodeo. (Matt Sollars)

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The crowd got close to the action of the rodeo at the Loudoun County Fair last night. (Matt Sollars)

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A bullfighter and a bull square off at the Loudoun County Fair rodeo. (Matt Sollars)

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Justin Shue, of Lancaster, Pa., won the bull-riding contest. (Matt Sollars)

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Two stars of the rodeo held last evening at the Loudoun County Fair. (Matt Sollars)

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Bobi Jo Swartz, left, on her horse, Maverick, approaches the ring before the barrel race at the rodeo. Swartz and Maverick won the race. (Matt Sollars)

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A horse and rider streak by during the barrel race at the Loudoun County Fair rodeo. (Matt Sollars)

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A view of the carnival rides at the Loudoun County Fair from the rodeo ring. (Matt Sollars)

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Mike Simonetti, 21, of Woodbridge, won the "Bull Poker" competition at the rodeo last night. He was the last man rammed from his plastic lawn chair by an angry bull. (Matt Sollars)

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A bull tries to buck his rider as a bullfighter looks on at the Loudoun County Fair Thursday evening. (Matt Sollars)

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Shue, a top-ranked rider in the International Bull Riding Association, overcame a poor first ride to win with a masterful second time out of the chute.

"You have to give it to your bull," Shue said. "You can only score as high as your bull gives you."

John Foley likely would agree. The local youngster won the "mutton busting" competition, a crowd-pleasing event during the rodeo where kids try to stay on the backs of bucking sheep.

Foley held on for a wild ride around the ring that ended with a hard knock against the bullfighters barrel. He scored an 80 on the ride to win. Abby Larock and Alisha Barnes came in second and third, respectively.

Bobi Jo Swartz, 19, of Charles Town, W.Va., got through the barrel race fastest on her horse, Maverick.

Even more bull riders -- along with more mutton busting and barrel racing -- will be at the fair Saturday evening. And anyone who missed him Thursday can come Saturday to get a glimpse of Shue, who says he has a good thing going with the Loudoun County fair.

"This is the fourth time I've been here and the third time I've won," Shue said.

Mike Simonetti, of Woodbridge, likely will be back Saturday after winning $100 in the "Bull Poker" competition. He was among three people seated in chairs in the middle of the ring as a bull was released.

Simonetti, 21, was the last of the men to be rammed out of his seat by the hard-charging bull. He said he would have been riding bulls, instead, if he would have had the money riders pay to enter the rodeo.

"Now I've got the $100," Simonetti said. "Hopefully, I'll be back on Saturday."

Of course, the rodeo wasn't the only game going at the fair Thursday. It also was a big day in the livestock competitions.

Josh Wynkoop, 17, of Hamilton, won the Grand Champion Steer title in the steer show in the Main Show Barn Thursday evening. Wynkoop's winning steer, Bentley, came out of the Continental-Cross category, beating out 40 steers in all other categories to take the top steer prize.

Wynkoop will take Bentley and his other livestock -- he also raises sheep, goats and pigs -- to the Virginia State Fair in September. Wynkoop, who also exhibited the top steer in the "Bred and Owned" category, said this is his ninth year in 4-H and his good showing in the steer show this year was the result of a lot of hard work.

Jake Bramhall exhibited the Reserve Grand Champion steer, also out of the Continental-Cross category.

In the Angus category, Ian Robert took the Champion title; Ashley Beamer was Reserve Champion. In British Cross, Dawn Ashby raised the Champion and MegAnn Slater the Reserve Champion. In the Other Breeds category, Adam Murray's steer was named Champion and Nathan Gringas was Reserve Champion. In the Maine-Anjou category, Ethan Smith took the Champion slot while Tyler Beamer was named Reserve Champion. Whitney Jenkins exhibited the Reserve Champion steer in the Bred and Owned category.

The steers, and all of the other livestock, will be auctioned off Friday evening beginning at 6:30 p.m. Anyone interested in bidding should register at the Farm Bureau booth outside the Main Show Barn.

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Loudoun County Fair, Day Four, Livestock Shows

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Robert Frizzell judges which rabbit is best in show at the Loudoun County Fair on Thursday. (Matt Sollars)

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Lindsey Kibler, 16, of Sterling, and her rabbit, Melanie. Melanie, an English spot, was named best in show at the Loudoun County Fair. (Matt Sollars)

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Melanie, the English spot rabbit raised by Lindsey Kibler, won top prize in the rabbit show at the Loudoun County Fair on Thursday. (Matt Sollars)

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Ayden Sengpiehl and his sheep, Thorn, won the Sheep Lead Line Demonstration at the Loudoun County Fair on Thursday. (Matt Sollars)

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Jason Smith, 21, of Lovettsville, helps prep Harold, his brother Ethan's steer, for the Steer Show at the Loudoun County Fair Thursday afternoon. (Matt Sollars)

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Mallory Gringas, 16, of Round Hill, gives her brother, Nathan, a hand with his steer before the Steer Show. Mallory also showed her own steer in the competition. (Matt Sollars)

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Ethan Smith, 18, of Lovettsville, poses with his prize-winning steer, Harold. Ethan was judged Champion in the Maine-Anjou category of the Steer Show. (Matt Sollars)

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Josh Wynkoop won the Grand Champion title in the steer show. Wynkoop poses with his steer, Bentley, Emily Murray, 19, of Leesburg, and Clint Rusk, the judge of the competition. (Matt Sollars)

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Josh Wynkoop, 17, of Hamilton, shows his steer in the Continental-Cross category of the Steer Show. (Matt Sollars)

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The Livestock Barn was hopping earlier in the day. The 4-H Leaps and Squeaks Club had its Rabbit Show in the morning. Lindsey Kibler, 16, of Sterling, won Best in Show with her 4-year-old English spot, Melanie. In the afternoon, Ayden Sengpiehl and his sheep, Thorn, won the Sheep Lead Line Show.

The Poultry Club had a number of events to make up for the absence of their birds in the Livestock Barn. The poultry was put into quarantine July 6 as a precaution against Avian Flu.

The club had its annual Crowing Contest that allowed kids of all ages to show off their best cock-a-doodle-do. Kids from the club also took turns walking the fairgrounds in a chicken suit to advertise the silent poultry auction that will replace a live auction because of the quarantine.

Alison Trent, co-leader of the Poultry Club and mother of Carolyn Trent, the club president, said birds bought in the silent auction would be available once they are out of quarantine. Trent said the quarantine likely would end July 30. The silent auction runs until 10 p.m. Friday night.

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